Rotatable and slidable gunstock



May 1969 4 w. VAN TYLE GILBERT 3,442,042

ROTATABLE AND SLIDABLE GUNSTOCK Filed June 12, 1967 Sheet of 2 FIG. 6. 22

' INVEN TOR. W/L 4 MM M I G/L BEE t y 1969 w. VAN TYLE GILBERT 3,442,042

ROTATABLE AND SLIDABLE GUNSTOCK Filed June 12. 1967' Sheet 2 of 2 FIG. 2

INVEN TOR. 1404 L /4/14 1/. 7. 6/4 51527,

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4 7 TOENEYS.

United States Patent 3,442,042 ROTATABLE AND SLIDABLE GUNSTOCK William Van Tyle Gilbert, 3165 Ferndale St., Las Vegas, Nev. 89109 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 490,180, Sept. 27, 1965. This application June 12, 1967, Ser. No. 645,208

Int. Cl. F41c 23/00 US. CI. 4273 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is an improvement over the invention described in my Patent No. 3,209,481, issued Oct. 5, 1965, and is also an improvement over the invention disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 490,180, filed Sept. 27, 1965, now Patent No. 3,324,588, and constitutes a continuation-in-part of the latter application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to firearms and more particularly to gunstocks for rifles and the like.

Description of the prior art The conventional gunstock of the prior art is adapted to engage on the forepart of the users shoulder for imparting the recoil impact to the users shoulder. As is well known, this frequently results in soreness and injury to the shoulder and the muscles in the shoulder area. It is known in the prior art and described in my aforementioned patents, to utilize arms or hooks which extend to the back of the users arm or shoulder and are adapted to engage the back of the users arm or shoulder for positioning the weapon for sighting and wherein the recoil impact is absorbed in the palm of the users hand and in the flexing of the elbow of the user. Because of the toughness of the palm of the hand and the natural tendency of the elbow muscles to flex the recoil impact is absorbed without injury to the body. The present invention constitutes an improvement over the gunstocks as previously described but is based upon the same general improvement over the gunstocks of the prior art. It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide an improved gunstock which includes an arm adapted to engage the back of the users arm or shoulder, or, if desired, the users back.

SUMMARY In brief and without intending to limit the scope of the 3,442,042 Patented May 6, 1969 invention, the present invention comprises a gunstock of the type which has a cheek-engaging portion and a hook formed by .a rearwardly extending section with an arm on the end thereof in which the arm is secured to the cheekengaging portion for rotation relative thereto and may be secured for adjustment of the distance between the arm and the cheek-engaging portion. The arm may extend upwa-rdly, downwardly, or may be adapted to engage the outside and rear of the user's arm.

An object of the invention is, therefore, the provision of a gunstock of the type having a hook for engaging the back of the users shoulder wherein the arm is rotatable with respect to a cheek-engaging portion.

A further object is the provision of a gunstock having a rotatable arm mounted rearwardly of a cheek-engaging portion wherein the arm is adjustable in distance with respect to the cheek-engaging portion.

Yet an additional object is the provision of a gunstock of the type having a hook secured rearwardly of a cheekengaging portion wherein the hook includes a downwardly extending arm forming a downwardly open pocket.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of a gunstock of the type which has cheek-engaging portion and a rearwardly extending hook wherein the hook includes an arm adapted to extend around the outside and rear of the users arm.

The specific disclosure of the drawings and the specification which follows and the features disclosed herein including the means for adjustment of distance and angle constitute important objects of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a side view of the gunstock of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the cheek-engaging portion and the hook of the gunstock of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing one embodiment of the means for adjusting the angle and distance of the arm with respect to the cheek-engaging portion.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-section taken substantially along lines 44 of FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the angular adjusting means.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing an alternative embodiment of the mean for adjusting the angle of the arm with respect to the cheek-engaging portion.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention showing a downwardly extending pocket formed of a rearwardly extending section and a downwardly extending arm thereon.

FIGURE 8 is a top view of the invention of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a view of the invention of FIGURE 7 shown in position on a users shoulder.

FIGURE 10 is a side view of another alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the rearwardly extending hook is adapted to engage around the outside and back of the users arm.

FIGURE 11 is a bottom view of the invention of FIG- URE 10.

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is made first to FIGURES 1 and 2 which show the overall construction of the preferred embodiment of the invention. The firearm or rifie 10 of this invention comprises a barrel 12 of the type having a muzzle and a gunstock which includes a portion 14 underlying the barrel and may include any convenient style or design of grip such as that commonly referred to as a pistol grip shown at 16 for permitting the user to insert his forefinger in the trigger guard 18 and to actuate the trigger 20. Of course, any style of grip may be used. The gunstock includes a cheek-engaging portion 22 and a rearwardly extending section 24 which, in cooperation with an arm 26, forms an open pocket. As shown in FIGURE 1,

the pocket is upwardly open and the arm 26 extends m a generally vertical direction. Thus far, the present 1nv en tion is the same in all material respects with the invention disclosed in my copending application.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, it will be seen that there is provided an improvement over my previously disclosed invention. In FIGURES 3 and 4, the rearwardly extending section 24 comprise an extension 28 of the cheek-engaging porion which may be reenforced with a tubular steel member 30. The forward end of the arm 26, shown at 32, is adapted to be slidably received over the extension 28 for permitting adjusment of the distance between the arm 26 and the cheek-engaglng portion 22 without exposing a gap, as shown at 34. It is desirable that he arm 26 be reenforced with a steel rod 36 which is slidably received inside the tubular member 30. The steel rod 36 has a plurality of notches such as those shown at 38, 40, 42 and 44, arranged around the outer periphery thereof. These notches, as shown in end cross section in FIGURE 4, permit selective fixing of the angle of the arm 26 with respect to the cheek-engaging portion 22. Since the cheek-engaging portion lies in substantially he same verical plane as the barrel, the angle of the arm 26 with respect to the verical plane is permitted. A set screw 46 is adaped to be received selectively in one of the notches.

It will also be noted that there are two series of such notches, 38 and 42, and notches 40 and 44. Thus the distance between the cheek-engaging portion 22 and the arm 26, as well as the relative angle, may be adjusted. While only two sets of notches and a limited number of notches are shown for clarity of illustration, it will be understood that any number of notches may be provided for angular or distance adjustment.

FIGURES and 6 show an alternative arrangement wherein an access opening 48 is provided in the bottom of a stock and a spring clip 50 which has an engaging pin 52 is secured to the tubular member 30. The pin 52 serves the same function as the set screw 46 but is more easily adjusted in the field.

The preferred embodiment of the invention includes means for adjusting the angular relation of the arm 26 with respect to the cheek-engaging portion 22 to the positions wherein the arm is generally vertical. This is the most satisfactory and preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, however, illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the rifle a includes a barrel 12a with an underlying stock portion 14a, a pistol grip 16a and trigger guard 18a and a trigger a of the type previously disclosed. The shape of the cheekengaging portion 22a is, however, somewhat dilferent and the rearwardly extending section 24a extends from the top of the cheek-engaging portion rather than from the bottom as previously illustrated. The arm 26a extends downwardly to form a downwardly open pocket between a generally downwardly extending arm 26a and the cheek-engaging portion 22a. As illustrated in the figure, this gunstock is adapted to be reecived over and 4 behind the users shoulder. The invention of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, has most of the advantages of the invention as previously disclosed but is somewhat less convenient for use.

FIGURES l0 and 11 illustrate yet an alternative embodiment wherein the riflle 10b includes a barrel 12b, an underlying stock portion 14b, and a grip such as a pistol grip 16b as well as the trigger guard 18b and trigger 20b as previously described. The shape of the cheek-engaging portion 22b is substantially identical to that disclosed in FIGURE 1; however, the rearwardly extending section 24b is offset by means of a double curve shown at 25b and the arm 26b is in the form of a hook for extending around the outside rear and then terminating on the inside of the users arm. The position of the hook or pocket in use is illustrated in FIGURE 10. Similarly, this embodiment of the invention possesses most of the advantages of the invention of FIGURE 1 but is less convenient in use.

Further, while not illustrated for purposes of clarity, it will be understood that the gunstocks of FIGURES 7 and 10 may include means for adjusting the angle of the arm relative to the plane of the cheek-engaging portion. The same type of adjusting means as described and illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 6, may be used. Furthermore, the same adjusting mechanisms may be used for adjusting the distance between the cheek-engaging portion and the arm.

The present invention as disclosed hereinbefore' is highly advantageous with respect to those of the prior art and with respect to my previous invention in that it permits for adaptation to persons of all sizes and adjustment of the angular relationship of the arm to a most comfortable position on the user for achieving greater accuracy and ease of firing.

It will be understood that modification may be made to the invention as disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such modifications may include straps or spring-biased gates for selectively closing the pocket around the users arm or shoulder, the provision of slidable adjustment of the rearward portion of the stock with respect to the barrel, adjusting the angle of the cheek-engaging portion laterally with respect to the barrel and the provision of corrugations and bayonet members on the gunstock for use in hand-to-hand combat. Since these and other modifications of the invention may be made it will be understood that the foregoing drawings and description are merely exemplary of the invention and are not intended in the limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a firearm of the type having a barrel which includes a muzzle, a cheek-engaging portion extending rearwardly away from the muzzle beyond the end of the barrel and lying in substantially the same vertical plane therewith when the firearm is in position for use, an open pocket formed of a crooked member including a section extending rearwardly from said cheek-engaging portion, an arm proximate the end of said rearwardly extending section for selectively engaging the back of the users arm or shoulder, the improvement comprising:

single means mounting the arm for rotation relative to the cheek-engaging portion about the axis of said rearwardly extending section for permitting adjustment of the angle of the arm with respect to said vertical plane, said single means also mounting the arm for sliding movement with respect to the cheek-engaging portion to adjust the distance between the cheek-engaging portion and the arm; and

single means for simultaneously latching the arm against rotational movement and against sliding movement.

2. The firearm of claim 1 wherein:

the rearwardly extending section is secured proximate the top of the cheek-engaging portion; and

5 6 the arm normally extends generally downwardly for References Cited engaging over the shoulder of the user.

3. The firearm of claim 1 wherein the section extend- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing rearwardly from the cheek-engaging portion includes 8991617 9/1908 Rellfol's ell 42-72 a shaft and the cheek-engaging portion includes a tubular 5 113361247 8/1921 Fordyce 42- 71 member with said shaft mounted for rotar and sliding 1,909,171 9 3 Coupland 42--73 motion in said tubular member and the means for simul- 2,952,934 9/ 1960 YOVaIlOVitCh 42-73 taneously latching the arm includes removable means 2,970,398 1961 Crouch 4273 securing said shaft to said tubular member.

4. The firearm of claim 3 wherein the removable means 10 BENJAMIN BORCHELT P 1mm? Examine"- is a set screw.

5. The firearm of claim 3 wherein the removable 42 71 means is a spring biased engaging pin. 

